Mesh Generation and CFD for a Drone's Coaxial Rotor

Our Cadence Channel Partner in Scandinavia, neptech, shares a case study investigating the interaction of a coaxial rotor system and how to optimize its efficiency.

Coaxial rotor systems are appealing for multirotor drones, as they increase thrust without increasing the vehicle’s footprint. However, the thrust of a coaxial rotor system is reduced compared to having the rotors in line. It is of interest to increase the efficiency of coaxial systems, both to extend mission time and to enable new mission capabilities. This study investigates how adjusting the pitch of the lower rotor relative to that of the upper one impacts the overall efficiency of the system. A coaxial rotor system for a medium-sized drone with a rotor diameter of around 70 cm is used.

Read the full case study or watch the video of the rotor interaction: